Drolet Escape 1800 - looking for some burn cycle input

[Ajsteffen]

Hey all,

I have a new Drolet escape 1800 that I installed recently (thanks to those that helped with a clearance question I had previously). I’m still trying to learn how to best operate the stove. I have an Auber at200 with probe to monitor flue gas temp (fgt).

My question, roughly as a percentage of total burn time, how does your burn cycle usually break down? 20% heavy secondary, 20% moderate burn trailing off with secondary activity, 60% coaling/cool down?

The reason I ask, I’m currently getting about an hour of heavy secondary burn (fgt 600-650f, steady), an hour of moderate burn (fgt falling from 600 to 500f), then roughly 2-4 hours of good coaling with the ability to restart without kindling (fgt down to 250f). I’m trying to troubleshoot my burn time and how to improve it , so I figured getting an idea of the typical proportions of the burn cycle might help.

I do think I’m on the border of inadequate draft, so I have to heat things up quite a bit (burning off more of my load) to get strong secondary combustion. I’m adding a couple more feet to my chimney pipe to try to address that.

Fgt probe is 18” off the collar , burning mostly pine with a little cottonwood, moisture content sub 15% for the most part, all sub 20%.

I appreciate any input you all have!

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Hey all,

I have a new Drolet escape 1800 that I installed recently (thanks to those that helped with a clearance question I had previously). I’m still trying to learn how to best operate the stove. I have an Auber at200 with probe to monitor flue gas temp (fgt).

My question, roughly as a percentage of total burn time, how does your burn cycle usually break down? 20% heavy secondary, 20% moderate burn trailing off with secondary activity, 60% coaling/cool down?

The reason I ask, I’m currently getting about an hour of heavy secondary burn (fgt 600-650f, steady), an hour of moderate burn (fgt falling from 600 to 500f), then roughly 2-4 hours of good coaling with the ability to restart without kindling (fgt down to 250f). I’m trying to troubleshoot my burn time and how to improve it , so I figured getting an idea of the typical proportions of the burn cycle might help.

I do think I’m on the border of inadequate draft, so I have to heat things up quite a bit (burning off more of my load) to get strong secondary combustion. I’m adding a couple more feet to my chimney pipe to try to address that.

Fgt probe is 18” off the collar , burning mostly pine with a little cottonwood, moisture content sub 15% for the most part, all sub 20%.

I appreciate any input you all have!

This, I've found, to be largely a function of when and how you shut down the air.

When I started, I'd get her nice and hot, then I'd shut the air all the way down, and would have wonderful, sustained secondaries, for a decent amount of time. But the downside of this technique is much shorter total burn times. I was sending way too many BTUS up the floo!

Now, I pull on her reins way before letting her get real hot. Depending on the wood, the load, the temp of the stove, the humidity and temperature of the air, wind, etc., I try to keep enough secondaries going to have a clear chimney exhaust, but not let it run away, all at the beginning.

This will all be specific to your individual setup. In other words, no way to know, except by running your setup, and paying attention to what is happening, and making adjustments. Just the nature of the beast.

 

[Ajsteffen]

This, I've found, to be largely a function of when and how you shut down the air.

When I started, I'd get her nice and hot, then I'd shut the air all the way down, and would have wonderful, sustained secondaries, for a decent amount of time. But the downside of this technique is much shorter total burn times. I was sending way too many BTUS up the floo!

Now, I pull on her reins way before letting her get real hot. Depending on the wood, the load, the temp of the stove, the humidity and temperature of the air, wind, etc., I try to keep enough secondaries going to have a clear chimney exhaust, but not let it run away, all at the beginning.

This will all be specific to your individual setup. In other words, no way to know, except by running your setup, and paying attention to what is happening, and making adjustments. Just the nature of the beast.

Thank you for your input! I kinda figured it would just take trial and error to optimize. It’s not like I’m getting horrendous burn times for pine and the size of stove either, just figuring there’s more to be had as well.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Thank you for your input! I kinda figured it would just take trial and error to optimize. It’s not like I’m getting horrendous burn times for pine and the size of stove either, just figuring there’s more to be had as well.

Indeed. The quest to get it just right, with so many variables, is part of the appeal. To the right person.

 

[ABMax24]

What do you have for chimney height? I'd be pretty cautious to start adding chimney height just yet. These stoves burn quite well on a light draft. If anything by adding height you'll end up shortening the burn time, and send more heat up the flue from excess secondary air diluting the combustion gases.

 

[Ajsteffen]

What do you have for chimney height? I'd be pretty cautious to start adding chimney height just yet. These stoves burn quite well on a light draft. If anything by adding height you'll end up shortening the burn time, and send more heat up the flue from excess secondary air diluting the combustion gases.

I’m right around 14’ at 6200’ elevation. I believe minimum recommended is 12’.

 

[Ajsteffen]

What do you have for chimney height? I'd be pretty cautious to start adding chimney height just yet. These stoves burn quite well on a light draft. If anything by adding height you'll end up shortening the burn time, and send more heat up the flue from excess secondary air diluting the combustion gases.

I should’ve added, i need to keep the door open for probably 5-15 minutes during cold starts to establish a good burn. Maybe that’s normal?

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

I should’ve added, i need to keep the door open for probably 5-15 minutes during cold starts to establish a good burn. Maybe that’s normal?

Totally normal. You can expedite the process by substituting one regular split with a combination of kindling, small splits, and whatever firestarter you use. What you gain in speed, you will give up on the back end. Just a personal preference. I generally like a slower startup, but if I'm in a hurry, the stove will get a lot more small stuff to get her to cruising speed more quickly.

 

[Ajsteffen]

Totally normal. You can expedite the process by substituting one regular split with a combination of kindling, small splits, and whatever firestarter you use. What you gain in speed, you will give up on the back end. Just a personal preference. I generally like a slower startup, but if I'm in a hurry, the stove will get a lot more small stuff to get her to cruising speed more quickly.

Great, that’s good to know. Thanks again for the help!

 

[EbS-P]

Things I’ve have found with my 1800i. One it gets going its off to the races.

Top down fire with lots of kindling. On reloads take coals forward and pack it tight. I usually put a piece or two of kindling on the very top near the front to help establish the secondary burn ASAP. I think the key is really being on top of the temps when you turn down.

I would start turning the air down sooner. What temp do you start turning down ? Try the top down if you haven’t before it’s a game changer for keeping the burn rate low and consistent.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Things I’ve have found with my 1800i. One it gets going its off to the races.

Top down fire with lots of kindling. On reloads take coals forward and pack it tight. I usually put a piece or two of kindling on the very top near the front to help establish the secondary burn ASAP. I think the key is really being on top of the temps when you turn down.

I would start turning the air down sooner. What temp do you start turning down ? Try the top down if you haven’t before it’s a game changer for keeping the burn rate low and consistent.

All excellent advice!

 

[Ajsteffen]

Things I’ve have found with my 1800i. One it gets going its off to the races.

Top down fire with lots of kindling. On reloads take coals forward and pack it tight. I usually put a piece or two of kindling on the very top near the front to help establish the secondary burn ASAP. I think the key is really being on top of the temps when you turn down.

I would start turning the air down sooner. What temp do you start turning down ? Try the top down if you haven’t before it’s a game changer for keeping the burn rate low and consistent.

Appreciate the advice!

On a cold start I’ve been closing the door around 700f flue gas temp , then it will settle in around 630f once I see it start to climb from there I’ll cut the air back in 25% increments, usually settling in around 600f to cruise.

On a reload, I’ll close the door once I’m at 600f gas temp, and immediately start cutting back air in 25% increments to manage it.

Like you said, I’ve noticed that if I wait too long it’ll definitely kind of take off , sometimes my flue gas temp will get close to 700f during heavy off-gassing with air fully closed.

Probably worth noting that I’m loading e/w, as I cut my wood too long for n/s in this stove.

 

[EbS-P]

Appreciate the advice!

On a cold start I’ve been closing the door around 700f flue gas temp , then it will settle in around 630f once I see it start to climb from there I’ll cut the air back in 25% increments, usually settling in around 600f to cruise.

On a reload, I’ll close the door once I’m at 600f gas temp, and immediately start cutting back air in 25% increments to manage it.

Like you said, I’ve noticed that if I wait too long it’ll definitely kind of take off , sometimes my flue gas temp will get close to 700f during heavy off-gassing with air fully closed.

Probably worth noting that I’m loading e/w, as I cut my wood too long for n/s in this stove.

I have so much draft I light/reload and close the door right after. I’m still leaning mine. Having a damper means I keep playing with it. I cruise full closed and might even resort to blocking more air off.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Appreciate the advice!

On a cold start I’ve been closing the door around 700f flue gas temp , then it will settle in around 630f once I see it start to climb from there I’ll cut the air back in 25% increments, usually settling in around 600f to cruise.

On a reload, I’ll close the door once I’m at 600f gas temp, and immediately start cutting back air in 25% increments to manage it.

Like you said, I’ve noticed that if I wait too long it’ll definitely kind of take off , sometimes my flue gas temp will get close to 700f during heavy off-gassing with air fully closed.

Probably worth noting that I’m loading e/w, as I cut my wood too long for n/s in this stove.

Sounds like you are doing exactly what I was doing the first couple of years- paying more attention to the temperature than what is going on inside. I've found that paying attention to what is going on inside results in quicker air shut downs.

As soon as some flames get going in the secondaries, start shutting it down slowly. As the secondaries grow and become sustainable, shut down some more, repeating the process until it's all the way shut, or open just enough to keep your secondaries going. Keep track of the temperature while your doing this, and in a few months you'll stop looking at the temperature because you'll know about what it is by watching the fire.

Your e-w loading is going to be a limiting factor. You can never get the stove as full, and the burning characteristics will be slower, lazier, and less possible to get the most heat out of it. I cut all my wood to e-w length when I started, and had three years of 20" wood. Before the first season was over, I had converted to cutting everything to 16", including all my 20" stacks, probably about 12 cords of recutting. Because it makes that big a difference if you want a very serious heating machine.

Now I cut almost all wood to 15 1/2", instead of 16". That half inch below maximum n-s size allows for a margin of error, so I don't end up with an angled cut piece that blocks closing the door.

 

[Ajsteffen]

Sounds like you are doing exactly what I was doing the first couple of years- paying more attention to the temperature than what is going on inside. I've found that paying attention to what is going on inside results in quicker air shut downs.

As soon as some flames get going in the secondaries, start shutting it down slowly. As the secondaries grow and become sustainable, shut down some more, repeating the process until it's all the way shut, or open just enough to keep your secondaries going. Keep track of the temperature while your doing this, and in a few months you'll stop looking at the temperature because you'll know about what it is by watching the fire.

Your e-w loading is going to be a limiting factor. You can never get the stove as full, and the burning characteristics will be slower, lazier, and less possible to get the most heat out of it. I cut all my wood to e-w length when I started, and had three years of 20" wood. Before the first season was over, I had converted to cutting everything to 16", including all my 20" stacks, probably about 12 cords of recutting. Because it makes that big a difference if you want a very serious heating machine.

Now I cut almost all wood to 15 1/2", instead of 16". That half inch below maximum n-s size allows for a margin of error, so I don't end up with an angled cut piece that blocks closing the door.

Thank you again easy, I’ll start working on this, and possibly even recut my wood. Some of my wood is cut short enough for n/s, so I tried a partial n/s load last night and saw a nice improvement in burn time.